Review: Gran Gala Orange Liqueur
We did a rare experiment tonight and put Gran Gala to blind test vs. the liqueur it’s designed to imitate: Grand Marnier.
This Italian liqueur even has the red ribbon and circular wax seal, just like Grand Marnier, and it promises it’s blended from “triple orange essence from the choicest oranges from Sicily.”
So, how’d it fare? All tasters agreed that they were “very different.” The Grand Marnier was deemed much more sugary-sweet, with the Gran Gala noted as more bittersweet. For my part, I found Grand Marnier a much more satisfying drink on its own, as the sweetness worked well for both aperitif and digestif. In a cocktail, however, I couldn’t really tell the difference, though one tester complained of an artificial sweetener taste in the drink.
So, the results? A tie: 2 testers each preferred Gran Gala and Grand Marnier. I like the real deal quite a bit more, but GG will work in a pinch.
80 proof. Aka GranGala.
B- / $19 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
Gran Gala Orange Liqueur
$19
looks… gross
Grandma, being my favorite shot, will always have a place in my heart, but GranGala works nicely as a triple sec/cointreau sub (as a meltdown) in my frozen ‘ritas.
I just bought some Gran Gala for margaritas. I ran out of Gran Marnier last night. Gran Gala ($22) was sitting on the shelf right next to Cointreau ($42) and Gran Marnier ($39). Given the huge price difference, and that I would be mixing it in cocktails, I figured I’d give Gran Gala a whirl.
Sipping a bit of Gran Gala right now… A liquor store owner turned me on to it when I went in to get Grand Marnier for a recipe. He told me all the chefs use it and it was half the price. Good enough reason for me to try it, and I haven’t bought Grand Marnier since…
where can I buy Gran Gala in Adelaide (South Australia)??
xx